While some companies are set to gain millions of dollars, other individuals fear they will lose hundreds of thousands of dollars on the value of their properties under the proposed Richmond Valley Solar Farm development intended for the lush Northern Rivers of New South Wales.
We are in a John Wayne Western – overseas corporations are galloping towards opportunities to secure prime farming and forest land in an effort to line their pockets under the guise of ‘caring for the environment’ while our sheriffs in Parliament House sit idle in their saddles, aimlessly twiddling their thumbs.
Not one but three solar farms are currently proposed for the Richmond Valley Region. Korean company Korea Zinc’s subsidiary, Ark Energy, has plans to construct a 500-megawatt solar farm in Myrtle Creek, which would make it one of the largest in Australia covering approximately 2,000 acres of prime agricultural land and forest in the highly desirable Northern Rivers.
Summerville Solar Farm (OX2) is a Swedish company with plans to develop a 90-megawatt farm less than 2km away in the neighbouring town of Rappville. And Terrain Solar is an Australian company with plans to develop Myrtle Creek Solar Farm, a 100-megawatt solar farm immediately adjacent to Ark Energy’s Richmond Valley Solar Farm is on approximately 1,000 acres.
In a situation similar to the Aussie cult movie classic, The Castle, one family’s dream has become a living nightmare. One resident bought a 100-acre property in Ellangowan in 2021, of which approximately 18 acres is classed as sensitive biodiverse native forest, with the remainder of the property earmarked by the NSW DPI as ‘state significant agricultural land’. The owner’s long-term plan was to develop the property for prime organic beef and crop production, as well as bees and honey, while his wife was to create an equine therapy centre.
More than 18 months after he and his family purchased their property and commenced construction, they found out that a solar farm is to be built next to their home. The owner, flabbergasted and fuming, was dismayed by the lack of communication, respect, and regard for rate-paying locals in the area by the renewable energy company, the local council, and the NSW Department of Planning. In my opinion, these are old-fashioned bandit tactics reminiscent of the Wild West.
The proposed 2,000-acre solar farm would destroy state-significant agricultural lands, forest areas, and grassland habitats, not to mention its impact on surrounding native forest and biodiversity is highly questionable. Various national parks and wildlife retreats are situated right next door with all three proposed solar farms being surrounded by native forests that provide habitation for the critically endangered Coastal Emu, of which only 50 reportedly remain. Koalas and many other sensitive fauna and flora species are also part of these precious ecosystems.
All three solar farm sites are on land designated by the government as flood and bushfire-prone. With a proven history of such during the catastrophic 2019 bushfires and the 2021 Northern Rivers floods, why any advisory body or company would ignore such classifications is mind-blowing.
As outlined on the NSW DPI Agricultural Mapping website, ‘Agriculture remains central to NSW food security and economic prosperity. However, the amount of rural land suitable for high levels of agricultural production in NSW is limited. Agricultural mapping therefore plays an important role in identifying and helping preserve this valuable resource.’
The question begs: why on Earth, when hundreds of thousands of immigrants arrive in Australia every year, is the NSW government now selling this prime land? Are we in the Wild West?
How is it that these three companies can prove to residents, without a shadow of a doubt, that they will be safe, unharmed, and nature not impacted? To date, there is simply no data or evidence to prove and guarantee safety and efficacy and no amount of neat diagrams, labelled images and corporate fancy PDFs will satisfy outraged Richmond Valley residents.
Solar panels are nature’s worst enemy. Issues include: glint and glare, EMFs, whine from high-pitch inverters, highly combustible lithium batteries-banks, fire and safety dangers, visual, social and environmental impacts, cultural Indigenous impact are some of the pressing concerns felt by residents. And, with good reason! Every man’s home is his castle, and who would want to live next to a solar farm? Power on, livelihoods off.
On August 2, 2023, a solar farm lithium-ion battery fire in Lake Ontario, New York, took fire-fighters four days to extinguish. The fire sparked air quality alerts and large amounts of potentially toxic smoke were affecting the community. In a statement, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an advisory alerting residents to the toxic smoke: ‘Large battery fire’ had ‘caused significant damage and is emitting large amounts of smoke that may pose as a health risk’.
Surely, in a time of so-called ‘climate crisis’, other more sustainable options for renewables must be explored? Overseas companies must be deterred from striking ‘gold’ in our precious land. Providing food for our ever-expanding country must remain a top priority. Valuing rate-paying residents, their livelihoods and local environments must also remain front and centre of policy and decision-making, whereby approval of any projects must rely on prompt fair resolution with impacted residents. Plans and conversations that involve all key stakeholders must be inclusive, transparent and effective. Let’s shift the culture of the Wild West and rules for self-interested global corporations to respect local citizens and our democratic way of life.
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